This article is from page 5 of the 2012-09-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 5 JPG
THE last Saturday in January has emerged as the new D-Day for hopes of traditional music enthusiasts in Clare to bring Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to Ennis in 2014, which – if successful – would bridge a 37-year gap to when the event was last held in the county. The Clare People has learned that Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann chiefs have brought forward the date for the Ard Comhairle of the organisation to make a decision on where the 2014 showpiece of the traditional music year takes place.
Traditionally the decision is made every September, but the decision to put what Comhaltas chiefs called “the special application” of Derry to host the Fleadh for the first time to a vote last January is set to be continued for the second succesive year.
“This is a good thing,” said a spokesperson for Clare Comhaltas, “because if the Ennis bid is successful, it will give a longer lead-in time to organising what is a huge undertaking to stage this international event.”
And key figures within the county organisation of Comhaltas are hopeful that Clare’s role in helping bring the 2013 Fleadh to Derry will result in a successful Ennis bid. Last January, this view was aired by Michéal Ó Riabhaigh of the Abbey Branch of Comhaltas, which is spearheading the campaign to bring the Fleadh to Clare, when he defended the decision to withdraw Ennis’ bid in favour of Derry.
“The decision we took to withdraw our bid was a risk worth taking and a gesture worth making. I would hope that the sacrifice that we made this time around will be appreciated when Ennis bids for the Fleadh in 2014,” he said.
Last September, Ennis narrowly lost out to Cavan on being host town for the 2012 Fleadh. In a three-way contest involving Ennis, Cavan and Sligo, Cavan won the right to host the festival for the third successive year on a 14-13 vote.
Ennis, Sligo and Derry were the three competing centres to host the 2013 Fleadh until the surprise move by the Abbey Branch of Comhaltas to withdraw the bid bring the festival to Ennis for the first time since 1977.
Now Ennis is set to go head-tohead with Sligo, with Drogheda also mooted as a possible late entry into the contest. The Ennis application is backed by the strength of traditional music in the county as showcased in the recent Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Cavan where the county won 134 medals in 42 categories. This was higher than any other county. 30/09/2012